Two hostages were successfully handed over to Israel on Saturday in the latest exchange under the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, were freed by Hamas as part of the fourth round of exchanges. These releases are part of an ongoing deal involving the release of Palestinian prisoners in return for Israeli hostages.
The handover occurred in Khan Younis, where both men were escorted by Hamas and waved to onlookers before being handed over to the Red Cross. This marked another significant moment in the ceasefire, which has been in place since January 19, allowing much-needed aid to flow into Gaza and temporarily reducing tensions in the region.
Bibas and Kalderon were both captured during the October 7, 2023 attacks, which escalated the ongoing conflict. As part of the broader agreement, Israel is expected to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for approximately 33 Israeli hostages.
Israeli families are eagerly awaiting the release of additional hostages, including American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, who is expected to be freed later in the day. However, concerns over the remaining hostages are mounting as Hamas has confirmed the deaths of eight hostages.
The ceasefire, while fragile, is seen as a crucial opportunity for peace. However, pressure is building within Israel’s hard-right factions to resume military operations if their demands are not met.
